Road test: 2000 Lexus RX 300

Road test: 2000 Lexus RX 300

byBrian Harper | August 10, 2011

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2000 Lexus RX 300Handout

For just a minute, dismiss any and all advertising hype you have seen, heard or read about sport-utility vehicles. Forget the breathtaking vistas and Marlboro Man outdoorsy crap that supposedly requires the mountain goat capabilities of any self-respecting ute.

Reality check! In everyday life, it’s a typical weekday morning, the weather’s crummy and you’re in the middle of nose-to-butt traffic. And if an SUV parked in the driveway alleviates whatever mid-life crisis you’re muddling through, then the pertinent question is “which make and model is the easiest to live with day-to-day?”

Toyota‘s upscale Lexus division presents a strong case for the RX 300, a $47,000 luxury ute that makes no claims about being able to shepherd its occupants to the top of Mt. Everest for an afternoon’s outing, and safely back again. Instead, it concentrates on the SUV traits that most customers need – four-wheel drive traction during poor weather or road conditions, along with excellent forward visibility – and throws in the comfort and quality of the Lexus brand.

Foregoing the concept of ultimate off-road prowess has decided advantages. The RX 300 is of unibody construction, like modern cars (and an increasing number of sport-utes and SUV-hybrids), rather than traditional body-on-frame. It also passes on a low range transfer case, instead offering full-time, four-wheel drive through an integrated transfer case and a viscous limited-slip centre differential.

The result is that the RX 300 weighs in at a relatively lean (for a compact-sized SUV) 3,900 lbs. Not being excessively ‘porky’ means that it doesn’t need a honking big V8 to power it. The 220 horsepower, 3.0-litre DOHC V6 under the hood is one of the smoothest to be found in any SUV, and delivers decent acceleration and acceptable fuel economy. The Lexus will hit 100 km/h from a standing start in the nine-second range.

Four-wheel independent suspension contributes to a rather pleasant ride, both on smooth pavement and back roads. Both front and rear suspension systems mount to anti-vibration subframes that keep noise, vibration and harshness at bay.

The steering is light and reasonably communicative, though less so than a Mercedes ML320 recently tested. And the Lexus’ turning circle is rather excessive. The standard 225/70R16 Bridgestone Dueler tires provide decent grip under most snow conditions, with the exception of hard-pack, which causes the SUV to understeer fairly easily.

Not that they were needed but the four-wheel disc brakes with ABS smartly scrub off speed. According to Consumer Reports, the RX 300 will stop from 60 mph (96 km/h) in an excellent 138 ft.

While the RX 300 sports a similar profile to the ML – though the Lexus manages to look substantially less van-like – it feels about a half-size smaller; the SUV equivalent of what the Big Three used to call a ‘personal luxury car.’ That said, the five-seat Lexus is roomy enough for most.

Forward and side visibility is quite good as long as you don’t sit too close to the steering wheel. Then, the steeply raked, thick windshield pillar can screen some objects. Rear visibility is likewise compromised by a thick C-pillar as well as the rear seat headrests.

One of the RX 300’s neatest ergonomic tricks is the mounting of the transmission shift lever in the upper centre part of the dashboard. This frees up floor space and allows easy access to the center console. Also handy is an automatic headlight switch that turns the lights full on or off at dusk or dawn, and exiting dimly lit areas.

The instrument panel is a thing of beauty, displaying the now familiar Lexus-signature ‘Optitron’ electro-luminescent gauges. Of some controversy, however, is the liquid-crystal screen in the centre console. While some think it garish, I feel it’s just too busy, displaying information for eight separate functions on its small screen, including interior temperature setting, outside temperature, radio station, clock and heating/ventilation settings.

Since its debut a couple of years ago, the RX 300 has proven extremely popular with customers interested in the luxury-ute. Unfortunately for Lexus, Mercedes’ M-Class utes have proven even more popular. The difference, I think, is in personality. The RX 300 is simply more car-like, having been defined by the automotive press as a cross between an SUV and a station wagon. The similarly priced M-Class is more rugged looking outside, and equally well-appointed inside.

But, for day-to-day travails in a largely urban environment, there’s a particular user-friendliness to the RX 300 that is plain hard to beat.